Stovakor
Stovakor is a city in the Warring Woods, controlled by a ruling class of vampires. It has been shrouded in secrecy for over seven hundred years but with recent events, the once hidden agents of the City of the Dead have made themselves known throughout Etan, requesting audiences with the rulers and nobles, what their intent could be has left many wondering if they should grant the once feared creatures an audience. History Vorakor "It was not a nice place to begin with, a prison colony forced to harvest the resources of this land, abandoned by their people who enslaved them with a promise of a new life. That act of cruelty turned them cruel, hate begot hate and despair replaced hope. No, this place wasn't conquered by monsters, the monsters have lived here since the start." - ''Vertian, Foothold Explorer. Originally founded by the Orjeri Union of Farthrone to serve as the first in a larger colonization effort, the city of Vorakor was formed by early settlers travelling in huge Arks that were deconstructed once they arrived. The settlers first arrived on the coast of north east Etan but gradually moved in land as they pushed the tree line back, eventually building an administrative city in the centre of the forest. Some of the first settlers were members of the Church of the Three, a minor cult in Orjer that was exiled for criticizing the Union for not seeing the Shard (see Shardfall) as a sign that they had strayed from the correct path laid out by them by their chosen gods. As the settlers continued to explore the forest they encountered more and more monsters, to the point where they were unable to advanced beyond the boundaries of the forests, with many believing that there was nothing else to Etan but monsters and impenetrable forests, a notion that made its way back to Orjer City and soon the project fell out of popularity. Instead the location was used as a penal colony, with dissidents and criminals making up the majority of the population of the city during its final years as Vorakor. The Church of the Three would eventually strike out west, abandoning the city they helped to found and create a new life totally free from the Union, founding the city of Tolerance which would later become Sang City. Pelor's Glory ''"Faith abandoned these people long ago." - ''Unknown During the event known as Pelor's Glory, the city, at this point still known as Vorakor though it had lost most contact with the Orjeri Union, was targeted by various missionary groups seeking to spread the word of Pelor. Few made it past the monsters of the forests, though those that did had much success in delivering the message of their god, with a number of churches being created, but these fell into disrepair after a generation and soon all knowledge of the gods of Etan was lost. The Long Night ''For further information on this topic, see here. "By decree of the ''Hamar, the Legions and the Senate of New Oli'us, the dead shall no longer rule the living. We the peoples of Correlon shall free ourselves from this shadow and emerge as one into the light." ''- extract from the declaration of exile enacted by members of the Imperial Family of Quel'Doran, sparking the Second Civil War. In the year 219 PG, the vampire aristocracy of the Quel'Doran Empire were exiled from their homeland, with most leaving in a mass exodus heading eastward across the north of Etan. After an orgy of violent slaughter that left most of Northern Etan depopulated, the horde of vampires encountered the isolated city of Vorakor which they at first set upon like previous settlements they had found, the realization that this location might better serve as a more permanent location to stay caused them to hold back. After some brief in fighting, the city was divided among the vampires natural covens forming as the once proud creatures had devolved into monsters. The vampires ruled the city which they came to know as Stovakor for seven hundred years, with only brief episodes of activity and the occasional raid by corsairs funded by vampire nobles seeking new stock for their mortal cattle being the only reminder of their existence to the rest of Etan. Divine Era For more on this event, see here. "The gods have sent me to restore the rightful order of the world, no more will monsters, abominations and the dead threaten to enslave you. You will serve in your rightful place by my side." ''- The Exarch known as the Heir in a piece of propaganda delivered to the people of Grostere. At the onset of the Divine Era, many of the peoples of Etan saw this as the start of a new age where the mortals of the world would rise up against the oppression of creatures such as vampires with divine assistance. In the case of Stovakor it would seem that at least some exarchs did intend on dealing with Stovakor with the above quote from the Heir and rumors of Oqorel of Lustre speaking of the city by name when she and her emissaries speak of their mission. The War in the Silence ''For more on this event, see here. The wretched creature was barely human. Its teeth were sharpened into points with fine precision, a cosmetic choice no doubt in emulation of its masters. Gaudy jewelry adorned its hands and face, piercings that clearly had some significance amongst this slave caste as the even baser ones that my guards held back with crossed pikes also wore cruder such effects. They looked on with fear, I could sense it from across great hall, but their leader who strode forward confidently towards the Sun Throne, one hand outstretched as it bowed, a motion it had clearly practiced much, in its other hand it grasped a bag of black cloth. '' ''It spoke a rehearsed speech beginning with the appreciation of hospitality and the granting of an audience, it then began speaking the blasphemous names of its masters which I silenced as my patience ran dry. I had acquiesced to the request of a meeting as this was a chance for Etan to learn of the City of the Dead, there were many that doubted it even existed, but it seemed as though I had just wasted my time, and I told the creature as much and it stammered out pleas to listen. I ordered my guards to remove them from my sight and as I rose to leave it threw the black cloth sack across the marble floor. The head wetly slacked against the polished stone, tumbling towards me and resting at the foot of the stairs leading to the throne, its eyes staring up at me in horror, an expression that did not befit it. I had seen once a face before in my time, one of the few mortals that has. "We offer you this as a token of good faith, we hope you understand its meaning." It licked its lips as it spoke, eagerly taking in my reaction. ''"Faith. Hope. What do you know of these words. Get them out of my sight." To be honest I did not know how to react so I chose a show of strength, if it was a lie then they were just trying to sow discord, but if it was true then may the gods help us all. It had taken the might of Etan and Vhir as well as sacrifices beyond measure to defeat just one exarch, but if what this messenger has shown accurate then the vampires have not only slain an exarch, but three of them. ''- Memoirs of King Sanctus II As the gods of Etan ceased contact with the mortals of the world and their emissaries the exarchs are seen as a mixed blessing, this has become a time of strife and confusion with the nobility of Etan and Vhir struggling to keep control. But perhaps the most unexpected result of the Silence has been first official contact between the city of Stovakor and the rest of the world since the Long Night. Emissaries claiming to speak for various noble families of the city of Stovakor have come forward requesting audiences with rulers and diplomats, as of yet these have mostly been met with distrust and even violence though some have managed to present themselves to some powerful individuals including King Sanctus II and the Great Houses of Okarthel. From these meetings, it has been discovered that the peoples of Stovakor are indeed still alive after generations of living under the vampires and that not only do they consider them their rulers but also their protectors. This has opened up the discussion on the nature of how such a society has lasted over the centuries and seemingly unchanged since its creation. Most worrying for those that participated in the War in the Silence is the claim the vampires have made to have slain the exarchs known as the Three Scholars, with emissaries bringing the magically preserved heads of the demi-gods to both Okarthel and Grostere during their meetings. How they managed such a feat has sparked rumors across Etan and Vhir with calls ranging from diplomats being sent to learn of the weapons the vampires possess to a full scale invasion of the forest to destroy the city outright for this act. Structure Leadership The city and surrounding towns and hamlets are divided up among the various vampire families. Each one backs a patriarch or matriarch that is the head of the family for central authority. As of yet no one family has gained enough power to dictate the actions of all of the others. Subordinates Below the family's head are a group of trustworthy advisers that oversee the various nobles that each lay claim to territories that they must protect. Below the nobles are the various functionaries required to run a territory such as retainers, clerks, sheriffs and traders, these are usually a mix between vampires and mortals. The more power individuals own territory with in the city itself whilst those of lesser standing operate in the countryside though it is not totally uncommon for an individual to have both. Common Folk At the bottom of society are the peasantry, these are the primary source of blood for vampires and have few to any choices regarding the future of Stovakor. Politics Domestic Policy The politics of Stovakor is dominated by the families and their relationships to one another, with each trying to bring about the downfall of another without themselves being brought down. That being said there is little to distinguish Stovakor's political intrigue to that of many other states prone to factionalism except the players are all immortal. One piece of policy that Stovakorians have agreed upon is that the human population should not be over exploited and the number of vampires sired should be kept to a minimum to avoid both groups being wiped out. This is however self-regulated,with no united force or signed treaty binding the families to comply. Foreign Policy Foreign policy for Stovakor is limited to slavery and third party trading with other states. The City of Sang is of the few places that has had any dealings with Stovakor through criminal elements within the city and a few adventurous merchants. Military Soldiers The vampires of Stovakor took their knowledge of the Quel'Doran Legions to create an elite and well organised army, initially using thralls but later offering up freedom from being consumed by volunteering for service. These soldiers were later divided up among the families and now serve different roles depending upon which family they are under the employ of. Most nobles will have a standing force of a few dozen men at their command that are highly trained and given the best equipment available. Most would be used to combat the various monsters and natives of the forest with rarely there being a need to quell the populace. The Lockout One of the first uses for these soldiers was the Lockout, where the various gates of the city were sealed and blockaded preventing anyone from escaping or travelling freely through the cities. Espionage Stovakor also maintains a large network of spies and assassins around Etan and parts of Vhir that gather as much information as possible, with each family or noble sending their agents for various purposes, from destroying a paladin order to bringing the latest philosophies from universities. Society Mortal Stock Probably one of the most important relationships in Stovakor is between the vampires and the mortal races, as the former requires the latter for a source of blood to keep themselves animated. The exact relationship varies from vampire to vampire with some requiring regular tribute, some that only consume prisoners condemned to death and others that will seek out their victims. In almost all cases the tribute or victim is completely drained by the vampire with some nobles attempting to limit themselves to blood donations in times of low population growth. Territories Within the city, the various territories that the families lay claim to are divided by high walls and sealed gates. This has created pockets of different cultures and peoples over the seven hundred years since the city was conquered, each responding to the particular temperament of the noble that claims the territory. The same is true for the countryside though the presence of the noble is often rarely felt and an entire generation might pass without the noble even taking tribute. Calendar Usage of the Common Calendar has replaced the Astral in use by the mortals of Stovakor following the contact during Pelor's Glory. The vampires rarely find use for calendars with such tasks that require them often being handled by others. Only one night is ever truly of importance to a noble vampire and that is when the families are called together and this takes place usually either at times of great need or at some other excuse when it is needed. Magic Usage The colonists that came from the Union brought with them the very limited magical talent mainly tied to infernal bloodline sorcerers, with those mortals that display magical talent usually being taken by the nobles to receive training to serve as agents. The vampires themselves often themselves possess magical talent with some using their immortality to develop and master various techniques. Races In the city there are various races that immigrated from Farthrone, mainly human and tiefling with some half-orcs having descended from the criminals sent to work in the colony. A unique race of ratfolk has developed in the city due to the experimentation by some of the vampires. Some kenku and hengeyokai have managed to survive in the city, living on the fringes. Many of these races are subject to the tastes of the noble that rules them, with most having a disdain for tieflings due to their infernal blood which is only tolerated due to the magical potential it provides. The vampires are usually a mixture of elves and humans with many losing many of their racial features, developing new facial features as they feed on mortals and becoming a new unique looking race altogether, Economy Personal Wealth Due to the fact that individuals in Stovakor's ruling class are immortal, with many having seven hundred years to accumulate their wealth the divide between the rich and poor in terms of capital being the largest in any society in the world. There exists no city treasury, at least no communal pool of resource, beyond the mortals of course, for the vampires to share with every city improvement, recruitment and financial venture being privately funded by the nobility. Religion The Trinity The Church of the Three that originally settled the area that became Stovakor was not a particularly popular religion either in the Union, or among the colonists that followed them, as such there was little interest in practising it. This was one of the factors that lead the Church to abandon the city and settle in the Sang Valley to the west. Seeing as demonic and icons offer no defense against the undead, the abandoned churches and cathedrals were put to use by the vampires as throne rooms and banquet halls. Worship of the Three is now subject to a very few of the faithful, with some using their status as self proclaimed priests to help the community whilst others hide their devotion in secret. The Ten Due to the Orjeri Union's relative secularism, there was little to no worship present in the city, with only the missionaries of Pelor's Glory bringing any of the Ten into Vorakor. The gods have almost entirely been forgotten not least in part by the efforts of the vampires to prevent the mustering of divine power against them, some of the families are even attempting to veil Stovakor entirely from the eyes of the gods to prevent them creating a champion from among the mortals. Architecture Stovakorian buildings had a number of influences in their design, with the early Trinity having constructed places of worship to their profane gods to be as imposing and dominating as possible. Later settlers emphasised defense in their construction as the threat posed by the surrounding forest became apparent. During Pelor's Glory, the buildings once used to worship the demons and devils of the Trinity were torn down or remodeled in devotion to the gods. Finally the vampire's arrival brought with it a new style intended to be cruel and as inhuman as possible. Designed by creatures intending it to last forever whilst remaining a constant reminded to the human populace who is in control of the city.Category:LocationCategory:EtanCategory:Vampire Category:Settlement